Native American theatre is a type of theatre that focuses on the Native American culture and people. There are relatively little amounts of Native American plays though this type of theatre flourished around the mid 1900s. The plays are mostly traditional, emphasizing the classic aspects of culture rather than modern experiences Native people go through (though many plays do focus on the experiences as well). Generally, the parts of the culture focused on are based off rituals of Native American religion, community, and nature. The rituals generally were primarily influenced by religion (the Sun Dance). This type of drama is incredibly diverse since there are many types of this theatre and different ways to retell stories. For example, stories have been told by one person or via a community. It can also focus on the spiritual part of life or can focus on the modern day experiences of being a Native American. Sometimes, the plays are heavily influenced by Western culture because of the history of dominance the Native people have faced. A good portion of Native American background had been erased, but there are still imprints of culture left especially in plays such as The Rez Sisters or Cherokee Night. Though the number of Native American plays is small, there is still much of Native American culture revealed and much more to write about in future plays.
Native American theatre is a type of theatre that focuses on the Native American culture and people. There are relatively little amounts of Native American plays though this type of theatre flourished around the mid 1900s. The plays are mostly traditional, emphasizing the classic aspects of culture rather than modern experiences Native people go through (though many plays do focus on the experiences as well). Generally, the parts of the culture focused on are based off rituals of Native American religion, community, and nature. The rituals generally were primarily influenced by religion (the Sun Dance). This type of drama is incredibly diverse since there are many types of this theatre and different ways to retell stories. For example, stories have been told by one person or via a community. It can also focus on the spiritual part of life or can focus on the modern day experiences of being a Native American. Sometimes, the plays are heavily influenced by Western culture because of the history of dominance the Native people have faced. A good portion of Native American background had been erased, but there are still imprints of culture left especially in plays such as The Rez Sisters or Cherokee Night. Though the number of Native American plays is small, there is still much of Native American culture revealed and much more to write about in future plays.